Prince Australia bound?

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THE first visit of Denmark's new prince to Australian
shores could take place as soon as next autumn.

Tasmanian-born Crown Princess Mary remained in hospital in
Copenhagen today nursing the newborn future king of Denmark, and
the first European royal with an Australian bloodline.

Mary and the new prince - who is expected be be named Christian
- may leave hospital as early as tomorrow, two days after his birth
which sparked celebrations in Denmark and Australia.

The Royal House officially says there are no immediate plans for
a visit to Mary's homeland, but the Danish media is speculating
that the visit will happen in the Australian autumn when Crown
Prince Frederik and Mary had been due to visit on a promotional
tour for Danish exports.

The possible visit may be soon after the christening, which is
expected to be held in the main Copenhagen cathedral where the
couple was married in 2004.

Tradition dictates the christening of Danish royal children is
held six weeks after birth, but Frederik's brother Joachim had his
children baptised closer to six months after birth - which is
likely to be the case on this occasion to avoid a clash with
Christmas celebrations.

The first name of the newborn prince - who is second in line to
the throne of Europe's oldest reigning monarchy - is almost certain
to be Christian, with the names of Danish kings alternating between
Christian and Frederik since 1513.

The second name is likely to be Frederik after his father, and
the third Henrik after his paternal grandfather.

The likely fourth name is the subject of some debate in Denmark
with some expecting Mary to push for John after her father, while
others believe it will be a name with associations to Greenland - a
Danish territory Frederik has close links to.

The subject of a name had to wait until after the birth, as the
parents decided not to get early notice of the gender.

"Nature was going to give us a boy or a girl and we chose to
control our curiosity, which I can highly recommend," Frederik
said.

"It was totally overwhelming - you can not prepare mentally for
what will be going through your mind when you can hold your
firstborn son for the first time."

The birth came after ten hours labour and two weeks early, with
doctors surprised by how straightforward it was. Frederik was
present throughout the birth, and cut his son's umbilical cord.

"It was a beautiful birth for a mother giving birth for the
first time," said Morton Hedegaard, head of the Rigshospitalet
obstetrics ward, who delivered the baby.

Queen Margrethe visited the hospital soon after the birth and
had no doubt Mary would make an ideal mother.

"She has tried so much in her life, and she's well prepared for
the life ahead," the queen said.

Mary's father John Donaldson said: "I'm just so proud of Mary,
and so proud of the little baby".

In a tradition dating back to the Bronze Age, more than 200
bonfires were lit one by one on Saturday night in a chain of light
that illuminated the skies from Copenhagen to every corner of the
kingdom.

Mary's former home of Tasmania replicated those celebrations
tonight.

Fires were lit at Blackmans Bay Beach and the beach near the
princess' former school Taroona High School, with others organised
on private properties across the district.

Earlier in Denmark, a 21-gun royal salute at gun batteries
countrywide rang out to herald the birth of the heir to the
throne.

In Copenhagen, the epicentre of the celebrations, the young and
old gathered at the palace.

Gifts from Australia have already inundated the Danish Palace in
Copenhagen, with up to 100 gifts - including babies made of
chocolate and marzipan - arriving daily.

Tasmania will announce next week its gift to the baby, but the
nation is giving the couple a first edition copy of the 1918
Australian classic book, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.

"It is an entirely appropriate Australian gift for this
wonderful event," Prime Minister John Howard said.

"Can I say on behalf of the Australian public how delighted we
are at the birth of the Danish prince."